Gone to Carolina

I spent the holidays with my brother and his wife just outside Charlotte, NC. I had a very relaxing time and we just enjoyed walks together, trips to grocery shop for our favorite holiday foods.  A traditional favorite is pīrāgs, a Latvian pastry filled with ham and onions.  The yeast dough is flavored with cardamom.  They're best eaten right out of the oven.  Another traditional Christmas  dessert is trifle.  Made with pound cake, custard and served with shipped cream, raspberries and toasted almonds.  

Pirags from Latvia